Combination military tool.



No. 825,749. PATEN'IED JULY- 10, 1906,

COMBINATION MILITARY TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1905.

GEORGE H. MOMASTER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

COMBINATION MILITARY TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-;atenteo. only 10, 1906.

Application filed April 17,1905. Serial No. 256,103.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. MoMAs- TER, captain, United States Army, a citizen of the United States, now stationed at Fort Assinniboine, Montana, have invented a new and useful Combination Military Tool, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device comprising a pair of wirecutters and an intrenching-tool.

It is so constructed as to be of minimum weight and appropriate size and is adapted to be stored in a cavity in a rifle-butt or in a casing carried by a soldiers belt.

In the space between the normally separated handles of the wire-cutter is located a blade or trowel capable of use as an intrenching-tool, suitable means being provided for preventing the jaws of the wire-cutter from separating.

In the special form of device herein shown the blade is formed integrally with or permanently secured to one of the handles of the wire-cutter, the unattached edge of the plate being seated in a groove in the inner face of the other handle, and the means for locking the jaws consists of a cap fitting over them and constituting the handle of the tool.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of this invention, Figure 1 is a view showing the stock of a rifle having in it a cavity in which the appliances constituting the subject-matter of this invention are stored; Fig. 2, a side elevation with the jaw-locking device, constituting the handle of the intrenching-tool, in longitudinal section; Fig. .3, a detail perspective view I showing the open end of this handle, which is adapted to be slipped over the jaws of the wirecutter; Fig. 4, a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a perspective view of a jawlocking handle of circular cross-section; Fig. 6, a similar view showing a double-ended screw-driver pivotally connected to one of the handles of the wire-cutter; Fig. 7, a detail sectional view of the rifle-butt plate, having a hinged spring-controlled gate or door opening to the cavity of the butt; Fig. 8, an elevation of the inside face of the butt-plate, and Fig. 9 a detail view showing the end of one ofthe handles of the wire-cutter formed as a scoop or gouging-tool.

The combined wire-cutter and pliers, the

head or jaw end of which is marked a, is, ex-

clips 6 cept as hereinafter stated, of usual construction. The handles b c after -diverging from the pivot of the jaws may be sustantially parallel or of other appropriate disposition, leaving, however, between them a substantial space. In the special construction illustrated the trowel or blade d, occupying the space between the wire-cutter handle ,may be slightly inclined transversely toward the central longitudinal line d and has one lateral edge formed integrally with or permanently secured to the handle I) and is of such dimensions as to fill the space between the handles. Its opposite edge is seated in a groove or channel in the inner face of the handle 0, any suitable provision being made for preventing opening of the jaws and spreading of the handles. The device as thus far described may be used as an intrenching-tool, the head or jaws of the wire-cutter constituting the handle. It is preferred, however, that a more suitable handle of larger dimensions be provided and that it serve as the means for looking the jaws. Such a handle 6 is shown rectangular in cross-section in Figs. 2 and 3 and that, e in Fig. 5 is circular. It may be composed of a hollow shell 6, the open end of which is adapted to pass, with a snug fit, over the head or jaws of the wire-cutter and the sides of which are formed with springthat engage notches in the cutterhandles suitably adjacent the pivot thereof. The handle 6 may be removably applied over the cutter-jaws, as in Fig. 2, andfor storing in the rifle-butt may be disconnected, as in Fig.

1. One of the cutter-handles has its end f 9 formed as a gouge or scoop, and the other one has its end 9 fashioned as a screw-driver. In addition to the two tools thus formed upon the wire-cutter I may also pivotally mount upon the inner face of the grooved cutter-handle a double-ended screw-driver it, that may be turned transversely of the handle for use or folded parallel with it.

As seen in Fig. 2, the handle e has an internal partition of irregular shape, forming a socket closely fitting the head of the wirecutter, and since it is best that the handle should be of greater length the outer portion thereof may be used as an oil-receptacle e into which projectsan oiling-pin carried by a screw-plug. 'The gate '6 of the butt-plate 'i. swings upon hinge-pins j, extending through posts on the rear face of the plate and has squared butts 7c, upon which bear the ends of I cured at one side to a handle of the cutter a leaf-spring m, attached to a post m and acting to hold the gate either open or closed.

I claim as my invention 1. A combination-tool comprising a Wirecutter, an excavating-blade held in the space between the handles of the cutter and a handle of the tool fitting over and locking the jaws of the cutter. V

2. A combination-tool comprising a wirecutter, an excavating-blade permanently seand having its opposite side interlocked with the other handle thereof and a handle for the tool comprising a member fitting over and I 5 locking the jaws of the cutter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name. I I

GEO. H. MOMASTER. Witnesses:

RoBT. I. FLEMING, C. R. HARBAN. 

